Acrylic sheet RoHS paperwork fails at customs for one reason: the declaration does not describe the goods. A German importer held a container for eleven days last spring because the RoHS declaration listed a generic acrylic sheet while the packing list named a UV-stabilised cast grade in a custom colour. The customs broker was not being pedantic. The document did not describe the goods.
Acrylic sheet RoHS and REACH compliance is mostly a documentation discipline. The polymer itself is well understood; the paperwork is where shipments fail.
The acrylic sheet RoHS and REACH document set
RoHS restricts ten hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. A pure PMMA sheet is not an EEE product, but it is frequently a component of one, so buyers ask for a RoHS declaration covering the sheet and any additives used for UV stability or colour.
REACH regulates chemicals placed on the EU market. For acrylic sheet the relevant obligations are the SVHC communication duty and, where applicable, registration of substances in the article. A supplier declaration usually confirms that the sheet contains no SVHC above 0.1 per cent by weight.
The document set a buyer should hold
- A declaration of conformity naming the grade, colour code, thickness range and the batch or lot.
- A RoHS statement listing the ten restricted substances and confirming the thresholds.
- A REACH SVHC statement with the candidate list version date it was checked against.
- A safety data sheet for the sheet, not only for the cement or the cleaner.
- Where food contact or medical use is intended, the relevant FDA or EU 10/2011 declaration as a separate document.
Three mistakes that stop a container
The first is a declaration that names a product family rather than the shipped grade. The second is a document dated after the shipment left but presented as if it applied at the time of export. The third is a REACH statement that cites an outdated candidate list.
All three are avoidable. Ask for the declaration to be issued against the invoice line, with the grade code and the lot number printed on it, and check the candidate list date against the ECHA publication date.
Recycled content and the compliance question nobody asks
Where a sheet contains recycled PMMA, the declaration has to say so and identify the input stream. A recycled sheet can be fully compliant, but a declaration that claims virgin material for a recycled product is a bigger problem than the recycling itself.
Buyers sourcing on price alone often discover this after the first audit. It is cheaper to specify the content up front and have the paperwork match.
The wider export document set, including certificates of origin and fire classification, is covered in our guide to acrylic sheet certifications for export, and the packaging side in export packing and shipping.
Keeping a compliance file current
Regulations change on a schedule, not on a project schedule. Set a annual review date for each supplier declaration, keep the previous version on file, and require the supplier to notify you when a grade or an additive changes.
River People issues declarations against the shipped lot with grade, colour and thickness stated, and reissues them when the REACH candidate list is updated.
Tell us the destination market, the grade and the compliance documents your broker requires, and oversales@rpplexiglass.com will return the acrylic sheet RoHS and REACH pack matched to the lot before the order is confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PMMA acrylic RoHS compliant?
Pure PMMA sheet is compliant, but the declaration still has to cover the specific grade, colour and any additives. Ask for a statement that names the grade and the lot rather than a generic product family.
Does acrylic sheet need a REACH declaration?
Yes, buyers in the EU normally require an SVHC statement checked against the current candidate list. The declaration should state the list version date, not just say compliant.
What is the difference between RoHS and REACH for acrylic?
RoHS restricts ten substances in electrical and electronic equipment; REACH regulates chemicals on the EU market and requires SVHC communication. A sheet used in an appliance may need both documents.